Cable connector

ABSTRACT

A connector for joining one or more distribution cables to a supply cable. A radially expandable sleeve fitting within ringlike cable terminal lugs surrounds a threaded rod having a conical head and fitted with an axially extended terminal nut. Each subsequent unit is threaded into the preceding terminal nut.

t Tut lnventor llioy 1D. lEricllwon St. Paul, Minn. Appl. No. 0,919 Filed Sept. 25, 11969 Patented Sept. 7, 19711 Assignee Minnesota Mining and Mnnullncturing Campy .611. Paul, i

"CAWLE CUNNECTOW 7 Clinims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U5. Cll 339/267, 287/203, 287/124, 339/270 R, 339/273 R lint. C11 lill0llr 7/06 Field of relli 339/267, 270, 273; 287/203, 124; 52/654, 664, 665, 667, 726

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,859,425 11/1958 Felton 339/270 FOREIGN PATENTS 565,811 11/1944 Great Britain 339/267 Primary Examiner-loseph H. McGlynn Attorney-1(inney, Alexander, Sell, Steldt & Delahunt AllllfiTMACT: A connector for joining one or more distribution cables to a supply cable. A radially expandable sleeve fitting within ringlike cable terminal lugs surrounds a threaded rod having a conical head and fitted with an axially extended terminal nut. Each subsequent unit is threaded into the preceding terminal nut.

CABLE CONNECTOR This invention relates to connectors for electrical cables. More particularly, the invention relates to modular connectors useful in joining additional distribution lines to an initial junction of supply and distribution lines, for example in an underground residential distribution system.

The invention relates primarily to the electrically conductive components of the electrical connection assembly, and which are particularly useful for incorporation into the modular insulating devices described in Hervig et al. application Ser. No. 860,898 filed of even date herewith.

The invention will now be further described and illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. II is a plan view, largely in section, of an assembled connectorjoining a supply line and two distribution lines,

FIG. 2 is a section taken approximately at line 2-2 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of a sleeve-expanding nut as used in the device of FIG. II, and

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of a sleeve member of FIG. 1.

The connector of FIG. 1 will be seen to consist of a first module 110 joining a supply cable end 11 and terminal lug ll2 with a first distribution cable end 113 and lug I l, and a second module 15 joining a second distribution cable end 16 and lug 17 to module 16.

The module 10 consists of an elongate split sleeve Ill, a bolt 19 having a conical head 20 and a threaded end 21, and an elongate nut 22 having a conical outer surface 23 and a hexagonal head M. The sleeve 18 fits within the ring-shaped or annular endpieces of the terminal lugs I2, 114 and is caused to expand radially into tight electrically conductive contact with said lugs by forcefully threading the nut 24 onto the threaded end 2ll of the bolt 19.

Further connections to additional distribution cables are ac complished with modules 15. These consist of an inner rod or bolt 25 threaded at both ends, a tubular sleeve 26 radially expandable at least at one end and upset at the other end to form a shoulder 27, and an elongate conical nut 22'. The expandable end of the sleeve 26 is shown in FIG. 2 as longitudinally slotted to form four slots, the remainder of the sleeve being unslotted; but other equivalent structure may be used. The rod 25 is threaded tightly into the open end of the nut 22, the sleeve 26 is placed over the rod with its shoulder 27 against the head 24 of the nut 22, the lug 17 with cable end ll6 at tached thereto is slipped over the expandable end of the sleeve, and the nut 22' is forcibly threaded onto the rod 25 to provide tight contact between the lug and sleeve.

It will be appreciated that the lugs l2, l4, I? may be fastened to the cable ends in any suitable manner, a crimped connection being illustrated. The sleeves may be provided with annular ridges 28, 29 or other raised elements to establish the desired positions for the terminal lugs thereon. In place of a bolt I) having a conical head 26 there may be substituted a threaded rod carrying an exteriorly conical nut 22. The length of each unit may be varied as desire. The terminal lugs may be placed at any desired angle with each other. Other modifications and combinations will become apparent from a consideration of the preceding disclosure,

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A connector module for joining electrical cables fitted with terminal lugs having an annular endpiece, said connector comprising a radially expandable sleeve, a terminally threaded rod retained within said sleeve, and a conically surfaced opened nut extending axially past the end of said rod for mating with the threaded rod of a next adjacent module.

2. Connector module of claim ll wherein said sleeve is longitudinally slotted at one end and is provided at the other end with an integral continuous collar.

3. A modular connector comprising a plurality of the modules ofclaim l in end-to-end alignment.

l. Method of connecting cable ends each fitted with a terminal lug having an annular endpiece, comprisirzgfplacing each 581 endpiece over a connector module as e med in claim II and rotating said nut to expand said sleeve forcefully into tight contact with said endpiece, threading a next said module into end-to-end interconnective alignment with the previous module, placing a next said endpiece over the module, and tight ending said next module into tight contact with said next end piece.

5. Connector module of claim ll wherein said sleeve is ex pandable at both ends.

6. Connector module of claim 5 wherein said rod is threaded at one end and is provided at the other end with a conical head.

7 Connector module of claim 5 wherein said rod is threaded at both ends and having a said nut at each of said ends.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 03,911 Dated September 7, 1971 Inventor(s) Roy D. EricKson It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 2]., delete "opened" and insert -openended Column 2, line 35, after "and" delete "tight ending and insert tigntening- Signed anfi sealed this 7th day of March 1972.

(SEAL) At test EDWARD M.FLETCHER, JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents RM PO-1OS0 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P6Q U S GOVERNMENY PRINTING OFFICE 1969 O366 334 

1. A connector module for joining electrical cables fitted with terminal lugs having an annular endpiece, said connector comprising a radially expandable sleeve, a terminally threaded rod retained within said sleeve, and a conically surfaced opened nut extending axially past the end of said rod for mating with the threaded rod of a next adjacent module.
 2. Connector module of claim 1 wherein said sleeve is longitudinally slotted at one end and is provided at the other end with an integral continuous collar.
 3. A modular connector comprising a plurality of the modules of claim 1 in end-to-end alignment.
 4. Method of connecting cable ends each fitted with a terminal lug having an annular endpiece, comprising placing each said endpiece over a connector module as defined in claim 1 and rotating said nut to expand said sleeve forcefully into tight contact with said endpiece, threading a next said module into end-to-end interconnective alignment with the previous module, placing a next said endpiece over the module, and tight ending said next module into tight contact with said next end piece.
 5. Connector module of claim 1 wherein said sleeve is expandable at both ends.
 6. Connector module of claim 5 wherein said rod is threaded at one end and is provided at the other end with a conical head. 7 Connector module of claim 5 wherein said rod is threaded at both ends and having a said nut at each of said ends. 